Centrifugal separator.



l, W. P. SHEPHERD.

GENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR. .APPLIQ'ATIONV PILBD 111113.23, 1909.

Patented Peu-15,1910.

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" W. P. SHEPHERD. CBNTRIIUGAL SEPABATOR.

' APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23,1909.

Patented Feb. 15,1910.

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WILLIS P. SHEPHERD', OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led February 23, 1909.

Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

serial No. 479,490.

To all` whom ith/may concern: j `Be it knownthat I, WILLIS P. SHEPHERD acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Centrifugal Separators, of .which the following is a specification.My invention relates to centrifugal sep `arators of the class in which aliquid such as milk is forced through a revolving sepaj ratorbowl, theheavier portion of the whole j milk being thrown to the outer portion ofthe bowl by the resultant centrifugal force,

while` theA lighter portion (or the butter fat) is "forced toward thecenter of the bowl.

In centrifugal separators of the class rej ferred to, it is common toarrange for the upward flow of the skim milk and to discharge itlaterally from the upper portion of the bowl, the discharge from therevolving bowl being made into an annular stationary chamber having asuitable outlet pipe or nozzle for ydraining the chamber. This chamberis commonly arranged around the j kupper portion `of the bowl and isopen opposite thelatter so as to permit the ejection of the skim milkfrom the revolving bowl by way of discharge ports or tube ends withwhich the bowl is provided.

Prior to my invention an objectionable feature incident to the foregoingdescribed arrangement and operation has consisted in the tendency of theskim milk, which isV `and a thing of considerable annoyance to userswhoV of course desireexternally dry and clean conditions, and who objectto the slopping about of skim milk, particularly where stringentsanitary rules are to be observed.

The object of my invention is to prevent said `undesirable leakage of'skim milk and top'rovidel simple and practical means for overcoming suchobjectionable leakage as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is an elevation of a well knownform of a centrifugal separator. Fig. 2 is a section on a vertical planetaken centrally through the rotary separator bowl, the cream and skimmilk covers, and a portion of the outer shell or casing within which therotary separator bowl is arranged, this view being on a larger scalethan the scale of the preceding figure. Fig. 3 is a vertical centralsection through the part or member ,commonly` termed the cream cover.Figs. 3 and 2 each show means for directing the discharge of skim milkfrom A,the bowl in accordance with my invention. Fig. 4 is a sectioncorresponding with the upper portion of Fig. 2, butshowing a deflectoron the upper portion ofthe bowl in place of on the inner side of thecream cover as in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 shows in elevation the upper portion ofthe rotary separator bowl with the deflector applied thereto. Fig. 6 isa sect-ion on line ai m in Fig. l. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of thedefiector illustrated in Figs. 4i, 5 and 6. In Figs. 2 and et thecentrally arranged vertical supply tube is shown in elevation.

The general construction of the centrifugal separatorillustrated in thedrawings is of a well known type, and its action resulting in theseparation of the whole milk into skim milk and cream is well understoodby those skilled or familiar with the art. It is therefore considered asonly necessary to state that A indicates ia supply receptacle and Bdenotes a rotary separator bowl which is understood to be revolved inpractice with great rapidity by means of suitable driving mechanism, forexample, by means of suitable driving gear which can be operated by acrank handle C. In the construction of separator shown, whole milk from`receptacle A passes into the upper end of tube D arranged axiallywithin the bowl. Perforated cones l, 9., 3, Il, 5, are arranged withinthe bowl, these cones being provided with upper openings for the supplytube D. The whole milk is understood toy pass out through the lower endportion of the `tube D and as a result of centrifugal action, skim milkpasses outwardly and thence upwardly `along the inner wall of the bowl,while the cream passes up along the outer side of the tube D and upalong the inner sides of the cones to points where it will encounter andpass up along the outer side of said supply tube. j

The upper portion of the rotary bowl is shown provided with tubes orducts 6 which receive the rising skim milk and conduct it to pointswhere the upper ends of the tubes G which constitute ports, dischargesaid skim milk into an annular chamber E. .This annular chamber E isextended around the upper end portion of the bowl, and said chamber isstationary when the bowl revolves, the skim milk during the rotation ofthe bowl being thrown or ejected by centrifugal action into saidchamber. As shown the chamber is formed by the conjunction of a member Fcommonly known as a cream pan, and a member Gr commonly known as a skimmilk pan. VThe cream pan F comprises a cylindric ring 7 united to themargin of a trunco-conical diaphragm 8 having a central aperture 9 forthe neck 10 of the rotary bowl.

The skim milk pan G is shown constructed with an outer annular upturnedwall 13 and an inner wall portion formed by a downwardly flaringdiaphragm 11 having an outer extended portion which is turned down so asto provide the chamber E with a relatively deeper portion 15, having abottom portion 14 uniting the marginal portion of diaphragm 11 with theouter wall portion 13 of the skim milk pan. The outer cham ber portionof chamber E is herein termed the skim milk collecting portion of thechamber, the higher and inner portion of said chamber being termed itsreceiving portion. The diaphragm 11 has a central aperture 12 for theneck portion 10 of the rotary separator bowl, the two pans beingrelatively constructed to provide the chamber E with an annularreceiving opening opposite the discharge port or ports of the rotarybowl, said annular opening or space being between diaphragm 8 of thecream pan and the inner edge portion of diaphragm 11 and the skim milkpan which provides a neck or upturned flange 17 around the opening 12.

IVhen the separator bowl revolves, the cream and skim milk pans remainstationary, and it is therefore desirable to provide suitable spacebetween the skim milk pan and the upper bowl portions 10 and 16. Thediaphragm or bottom portion 8 of the cream pan F inclines downwardly andoutwardly so as to provide said pan with a relatively deeper marginalconnecting portion, said pan being provided with a discharge spout 8afor drawing oft' the cream which collects during operation in suchmarginal Vcollecting portion of the pan. The diaphragm 8 therefore formsa Vdownwardly and outwardly inclined top forschamber E, and if thedischarge of skim milk from the laterally ported portion of theseparator bowl is allowed to impact against the undern side of diaphragm8, it will be deflected therefrom outwardly and downwardly into the skimmilk in the marginal collecting portion or chamber E, whereby thefoaming up of the skim milk will be augmented,

and in such case, the foaming milk will soon rise and find its way intothe portion or opening 12 between neck 10 of the bowl and the flange orneck portion 17 of the diaphragm 11. In order to prevent thisobjectionable action, I provide a deflecting device having an annulardownwardly flaring deflecting face directly opposite and extendingaround the laterally ported portionV of the separator bowl, saiddeflecting device being united with the diaphragm 8 as substantially apart thereof and being therefore Vnonrevo luble. lVhen therefore theseparator bowl is revolved at high speed, therheavier portion, such asskim milk of a liquid such as whole milk fed into the bowl7 willdischarge from the port or ports provided for such purpose and be thrownby centrifugal action forcibly against the annular deflecting face I,which latter receives the impact of the full or entire discharge of skimmilk from the laterally ported portion of the revolving separator bowl.Itwill therefore be seen that by providing the separator bowl with oneor more suitably contracted lateral or side port openings, such port yorports will coact or cooperate with centrifugal action to throw the fulldischarge of skim milk outwardly and against the deflecting face I,freely and with a force proportional to the speed of rotation of theseparator bowl,-it being well known that in centrifugal separators ofthe class to which my invention relates, the separator bowl is revolvedat an exceedingly high rate of speed in order to effect by centrifugalaction the separation of the relatively heavy skim milk portion from therelatively light cream portion of whole milk fed into the separatorbowl.

The deflecting face I presents a continuous or unbroken annular Haringsurface, and this deiecting face is therefore adapted to cause the skimmilk which is thus forcibly thrown against it to form and leave suchdeiecting face in the condition of an annutially and forcibly againstthe wall or diaphragm 11 along a line between the inner receivingportion and the outer collecting portion of the chamber E, said linebeing relatively within or inside of the marginal and relatively deeperskim milk collecting portionl of the chamber E, as illustrated in Fig.2. When therefore the separator is in operation, the outer portion ofchamber E will be cut off or separated from its inner open receivingportion by the defiecting face I and the annular sheet Y of skim milkpassing from the defiecting face to and against the diaphragm l1 whichprovides an inner side wall portion and also an inclined bottom portionfor chamber E. lith this arrangement, skim milk collecting andfoaming-np in the outer portion of chamber E wil be prevented frompassing inwardly into the inner receiving port-ion of chamber E, andskim milk or foam or both tending to risealong diaphragm 1l will beopposed and driven outwardly by the annular sheet Y` of skim milkimpinging tangentially against diaphragm ll.

Figs. 4C,- 5, 6 and 7, illustrate a truncoconical deflector I detachablysecured upon the bowl neck 10 and having its inner deflecting surfaceorface opposite the laterally e ported portion ofthe bowl so as todirectly receive the full discharge of skim milk, the annular sheet Y ofskim milk being directed against diaphragm 1l as in Fig. 4.

Portions of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1l, 5 and (5, are indicated byreference characters applied to corresponding parts in the first threeligures of the drawings, the point of diiference between the first threefigures and the last four figures of the drawings, being that in saidlast four figures the defl-ector is'carried by the bowl, and istherefore revoluble therewith. As a preferred arrangement however thedefiector is non-revoluble as illustrated by the first three figures.

That l claim as my invention is: l. In a centrifugal separator of theclass described, the combination of a rotary separator bowl foreffecting by centrifugal action the separation of whole milk into skimmilk and cream, the separator bowl being provided with one or moreport-s adapted for discharging the skim milk from the separator bowl andcooperating with centrifugal action during rotation of the separatorbowl to project such discharge outwardly and with a velocityproportional to the rotary speed of the separator bowl; a chamber ex-`tending around the separator bowl and having its inner receivingchamber portion provided with an annular inlet opening oppositethe skimmilk discharge port or ports of the separator bowl and an outer skimmilk collecting chamber portion for collecting the skim milk admittedinto the chamber by wayr of its opening opposite the discharge port orports of the bowl, and having an outlet for discharging the same; anon-revoluble deflecting device having a continuous annular anddownwardly flaring defiecting face arranged to receive the impact of thefull discharge of skim milk thrown outwardly by centrifugal force fromthe bowl ports, and adapted to cause the skim milk thus thrown againstit to form and leave it in the condition of an annular sheet of liquidprojected downwardly with a velocity proportional to the force withwhich the discharge from the separator bowl primarily impacts againstthe defiecting face, the said chamber being constructed with adownwardly and outwardly inclined side or bottom portion between itsannular inlet opening and its outer collecting portion, and the angle ofthe defiecting face being arranged to cause the annular sheet of skimmilk directed therefrom to impinge tangentially against said side orbottom portion of the chamber along a line between the inner receivingportion` and the outer' collecting portion of the chamber, these twoportions of the chamber being cut off the one from the other by thedeflecting face and the sheet of skim milk extending between thedefiecting face and the bottom portion of the chamber during operation;and means for rotating the separator bowl.

2. In a centrifugal separator of the class described, the combination ofa rotary separator bowl for effecting by centrifugal action theseparation of whole milk into skim milk and cream, the separator bowlbeing provided with one or more lateral ports adapted for dischargingthe skim milk from the separator bowl and cooperating with centrifugalaction during rotation of the separator bowl to project such dischargeoutwardly and with a velocity proportional to the rotary speedof theseparator bowl; a chamber extending around the separator bowl and havingits inner receiving chamber portion provided with an annular inletopening opposite the skim milk discharge port or ports of the separatorbowl and an outer skim milk collecting chamber portion for collectingthe skim milk admitted into the chamber by way of its opening oppositethe discharge port or ports of the bowl, and having an outlet fordischarging the same; a non-revoluble deflecting device having acontinuous annular and downwardly fiaring defiecting face arranged toreceive the impact of the full discharge of skim milk thrown outwardlyby centrifugal force from the bowl ports, and adapted to cause the skimmilk thus thrown against it to form and leave it in the condition of anannular sheet of liquid projected downwardly with a velocityproportional to the force with which the discharge from the separatorbowl primarily impacts against the defiecting face, the said chamberbeing constructed with a bottom portion between its annular inletopening and its outer collecting portion, and the angle of thedeflecting face being arranged to cause the annular sheet of skim milkdirected therefrom to impinge tangentially against said bottom portionof the chamber along a line between the inner receiving portion and theouter collecting portion of the chamber, these two portions of thechamber being cut off the one from the other by the deflecting face andthe sheet of the skim milk extending between the defiecting face and thebottom portion of the chamber during operation; and means for rotatingthe separator bowl.

8. In a centrifugal separator of the class described, the combination ofa rotary separator bowl for effecting by centrifugal action theseparation of whole milk into skim milk and cream, the separator bowlbeing provided with one or more lateral ports adapted for dischargingthe skim milk from the separator bowl and cooperating with centrifugalaction during rotation of the separator bowl to project such dischargeoutwardly and with a velocity proportional to the rotary speed of theseparator bowl; a chamber extending around the separator bowl and havingits inner receiving chamber portion provided with an annular inletopening opposite the skim milk discharge port or ports of the separatorbowl and an outer skim milk collecting chamber portion for collectingthe skim milk admitted into the chamber by way of its opening oppositethe discharge port or ports of the bowl, and having an outlet fordischarging the same; a deflecting device having a continuous annularand downwardly flaring deiecting face arranged to receive the impact'ofthe full discharge of skim milk thrown outwardly by centrifugal forcefrom the bowl ports, and adapted to cause the skim milk thus thrownagainst it to form and leave it in the condition of an annular sheet ofliquid projected downwardly with a velocity proportional to the forcewith which the discharge from the separator bowl primarily impactsagainst the delecting face, the said chamber being constructed with adownwardly and outwardly inclined -side or botangle of the deflectingface being arranged to cause the annular sheet of skim milk directedtherefrom to impinge tangentially against said side or bottom portion ofthe chamber along a line between the inner receiving portion and theouter collecting portion of the chamber, these two portions of thechamber being out off the one from the other by the deflecting face andthe sheet of skim milk extending between the deflecting face and thebottom portion of the chamber during operation; and means for rotatingthe separator bowl.

Il. In a centrifugal separator of the class set forth, the combinationof a rotary separator bowl for effecting by centrifugal action theseparation of a relatively heavier liquid portion from a relativelylighter liquid portion of a liquid such as whole milk, the separatorbowl being ported for discharging the separated heavier liquid portionwhile the bowl is revolving and throwing the discharge outwardly with adegree of force proportional to the rotary speed of the separator bowl;a chamber extending around the separator bowl and having an innerreceiving portion open opposite and around the ported bowl portion, acollecting gutter likeportion having an outlet, and an inclined wallportion between said gutter like portion and its opening opposite theported bowl portion; an annular deflector supported opposite the portedbowl portion and having its defleoting face adapted and arranged toreceive the full discharge from the ported bowl portion and to directsuch discharge in the condition of an annular sheet tangentially to andagainst the said inclined wall portion of the chamber along a linebetween its said gutter portion and its receiving opening; and means forrotating the separator bowl.

WILLIS P. SHEPHERD. lvitnesses CHARLES Gr. PAGE, OTTIME C. FREIBERG.

